The left-hander struck out a season-high 10 batters in 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits. It was arguably his best start of the season.

"I just felt like I had everything working -- fastball, changeup, curve -- and my catcher Ed Easley was calling a great game," Skaggs said, per MLB.com. "By far, it was easily my best start of the year. I didn't feel great in the bullpen [before the game] but got out there, started bearing down and got going."

Skaggs is 4-5 with a 5.23 ERA in nine starts. However, he's won his last two starts and has posted 2.66 ERA in his last three outings. He's managed 54 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings this season.

"I feel like my mechanics are getting better, hitting that groove, throwing the ball well," Skaggs said, "but I wouldn't say I'm at the peak yet. I've still got things to work out, but I feel pretty good, and the numbers are starting to show that."

"I just went in there like any other game," Almora said, per MLB.com. "It's the same game, just a different atmosphere. I saw some pitches I liked. I saw good pitches and they happened to find the hole. Everything went good."

The 2012 first-round pick (sixth overall) is "super excited" to start playing in games after being sidelined since mid-March. Almora is considered a top 40 prospect by Baseball America (No. 33) and MLB.com (No. 39).

"To be honest, I worked my butt off," he said. "I worked all morning and whatever I could do baseball-wise, I did it. I just didn't stop. They told me not to rush it, and that was the best advice that anyone's ever given me. But you still, as a baseball player, you want to get out there as soon as possible to help your team hard. It was super-hard to control my emotions."

Molina has multiple hits in three of his last four games to raise his batting average to .235. 

Myers struggled, allowing three runs in 4 1/3 innings on two hits and four walks. He struck out two, while throwing 74 pitches. He is expected to make at least one more rehab start before potentially being activated from the disabled list. 

Smith had an 18.41 ERA in three starts, after failing to get out of the second inning for the second time Wednesday against the Cardinals. 

Gyorko had a solo homer off Cardinals starting pitcher Tyler Lyons in the seventh inning for the first Padres' run. He added a single and a run scored in the ninth inning of a 5-3 loss. He finished with an RBI and two runs scored, while raising his batting average to .284.

Gyorko is hitting .424 with two home runs and four RBI over the last nine games. 

Molina hit four singles to left field, one of which accounted for an RBI. He raised his batting average 14 points, to .333, after going 1 for 11 in his previous three games.

Molina is batting .360 in May with six RBI, but he has no home runs in 20 games. 

He surrendered three runs in the first inning on three hits and three walks, then gave up singles to the first two hitters in the second before being pulled. One of those runners would score, leaving Smith with four earned runs on five hits and three walks in one inning.

This is the second time in three starts Smith has been unable to get out of the second inning. He threw 42 pitches as his ERA rose to 18.41. Smith took the loss in the 5-3 defeat.

Smith is not assured another turn in the rotation with how poorly he has pitched, although he is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Mariners. 

He held the Padres to a run on a Jedd Gyorko solo home run in the seventh inning, while scattering four hits and a walk. He struck out four and needed just 81 pitches to finish his seven innings of a 5-3 win.

Lyons' win was the 11th by a Cardinals' rookie pitcher this season. He is expected to make his second start Tuesday against the Royals in Kansas City.